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Holy Father gives silent blessing from hospital

January 1st, 2003

Pope John Paul II made a brief appearance to bless well-wishers from his hospital window in Rome yesterday, during the Angelus. The prayers with pilgrims in St Peter's Square were led by Archbishop Leonardo Sandri for the second time in two weeks. Shortly before they began, an aide read a message from the Pope in which he thanked Jews and Muslims for their prayers for his recovery. He said: "I want to express special recognition of the closeness of believers of other religions, particularly Jews and Muslims. Some of them wanted to come and pray here at the hospital. And that for me is a comforting sign, for which I thank God." Source: VIS

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